Goodby 2008!!

Wow! It is hard to believe that another year has passed. I am reminded by what my Grandpa always said...."the years just keep getting faster, as you get older." Well I just wanted to wish everyone a great 2009! May you have a great new year!

I also wanted to create some best of 2008 lists...here it goes:

Best Music acts I saw:

• MIA at the Myth
• The Hold Steady in July at First Avenue
• Lucy Kaplansky and Storyhill at the Fitzgerald
• Jeremy Messersmith at Mears Park
• Trampled by Turtles at MN State Fair

Best Albums:

• The Hold Steady: Stay Positive
• Mates of State: Re-arrange us
• Cloud Cult: Partying Thur Tornadoes...
• Mike Doughty: Golden Delicious
• Jeremy Messersmith: Silver City
• Bon Iver: For Emma, forever ago

Best Trips:

• Month long trip in Colorado
• Presidents day weekend in Chicago
• Leesome Lake multiple times
• Philadelphia
• X-mas in Chicago

Best Eateries for Dinner:

• Great Waters Brewery
• BonXai
• Peninsula
• Seven Sushi
• Nala Pak

Best Eateries for Breakfast:

• West Egg Fork (Chicago)
• Longfellow's
• Highland Grill
• Egg and I
• Trotters

December

I am always amazed by how fast time goes…once again several weeks have gone by with out an entry. My bad!

Besides the typical routine of life we have been up to a few activities. In early December we went to a charity benefit for Asian American Journal Association at the Children’s Museum in Saint Paul. It was a good time we met some great people, ate some good Asian food, and were entertained by varies forms of entertainment.

There was also a silent action and we bid and won on a gift certificate for True Thai and Midwestern Mountaineering. It was nice because we benefited the AAJA and got a great deal. It also gave us an economical dining option that we took advantage of.

Then a couple of weeks ago, a friend of ours (Karl) organized an outing. We attended The Holiday Pageant with Kevin Kling, Sarah Agnew, Luverne Seifert, and Amy Matthews at the Pantages Theater in Minneapolis. It was festive, entertaining, and full of slap stick comedy which got you in the holiday sprit. Yeah!

Christmas this year was spent in three places Illinois, Wisconsin, and Saint Paul. We left for Illinois the Friday before Christmas. We broke up the trip by staying one night in Madison, then traveled to my Grandparents house in Northern Illinois. It was great to see both my immediate and extended family.

Then on the 21st we headed to the Sheraton in Downtown Chicago for a three day stay. It was great to be in the windy city again and enjoy everything that it offers. We did the usual…run, eat, wander, eat, relax and then repeat. I look forward to traveling there again, maybe when it is summer. I think one day there were minus 40 wind chill. Burrrrr.

We then returned back to Saint Paul to celebrate Christmas with Tracy’s parents on the 24th and mine parents in St. Croix Falls, WI. on Christmas day. It was a great Christmas. I received more then I deserved and enjoyed the time spent with family.

Back from Philly!

We are back from the, "City of Brotherly Love." I really enjoy this city, every time I return home, I think about what I would like to see the "next time" I go back. That being said, this was a great trip! Tracy and I got there on Saturday morning and left early afternoon on Tuesday. We stayed in the Rittenhouse Square area, in a beautiful hotel right in the middle of Center City. It was nice to stay in this area because it made everything we needed, accessible on foot.

Here are some of the highlights...

• Participate in the half marathon and watch the Philadelphia Marathon. (Nice Job Karl!)
• Walk through the historical district and see the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, the Constitution Center, and Federal Reserve.
• Take a Tour of the Eastern States Penitentiary (Wow...this was very interesting)
• Cruise through the Reading Terminal Market and sample all the treats (Yum!)
• Walk around the neighborhoods and streets of Philly!
• Eat at some great restaurants....Tokyo Sushi and El Vez....

Rock and Roll Means Well.

This just in….a full report from Saturday. My last post was about the anticipation of the rest of my (our) Saturday night.

Tracy and I went to Seven Sushi in downtown Minneapolis. I can say this with confidence, if you want an entire dining experience go here. The wait staff is very friendly, attentive, and courteous. The restaurant creates a perfectly cozy, warm environment, located on the second floor of R. Normans Steakhouse. The sushi was great it was very playful, flavorful, and presented very creatively. My only word of advise…watch what you order because your bill can add up quickly…WOW! I am glad that we had a gift certificate.

The walk to the show, at the First Avenue, was a block away from the restaurant and I am glad that it was. We arrived at the door right at the stroke of 7:00 and the Hold Steady were already playing. (When do concerts ever start on time??? ) Anyways, like the tour name: Rock and Roll Means Well.

Now I really enjoy the Hold Steady and I have seen them three times in the last year. But this was my least memorable experience. Maybe it was because the H.S. was the opening act or that the band lacked the excitement they usually portray? I am not saying that the show was bad, but I have seen them perform better. They played songs from several of their albums and sounded good, but not great.

After about a 75 minute set the Hold Steady left the stage and the Drive By Truckers closed the night out. They were good. I have never seen them perform, but have heard some of their music. Their Alt-country sounds makes you want to grab a PRB and do a shot of Jack Daniels, if you know what I mean?? Pretty smooth sounding and great background music for a night out with the boyz!

All in all the night was great night.

Click here if you would like to hear about the show from music critic Chris Riemenschneider of the Star Tribune.

Saturday Night
Sunday Night

Triple Play!!!

As I am waiting for my counterpart to get herself ready to roll. I was thinking about how great today has been. Started it off with a run with some friends I haven't seen in a while. Followed by a great breakfast at Trotter's Cafe in Saint Paul, with Tracy. It was a great meal with even better company.

If the morning was any indication of how great tonight will be, I am excited. We are having dinner at Seven Sushi in Minneapolis followed by going to First Aveune to see one of my favorite bands...the Hold Steady!

Stay tuned for full report...

Weekend reVIEW

Another weekend is in the books, and this one had a different cultural flair. As usual, we went out to dinner -- this time to Jewel of India on the University of Minnesota's West Bank. The food far surpassed the cheap prices (you can't complain when you get dinner for two for a mere $26), and I'd definitely return. We had our typical Indian restaurant choices: vegetable samosas, wheat naan and two different entrees -- some sort of cauliflower-spinach-potato mix, as well as a chicken in a rich and nicely-seasoned sauce. I left satisfied, and the food seemed to swell within my stomach as the night wore on, so I was satisfied -- along with downright parched due to the sodium -- for many hours following dinner!

The thirst was a bit of a distraction at first, but I soon forgot about it at our next event: a showing of Arthur Miller's A View from the Bridge at the Guthrie Theater. My aunt gave me a gift certificate last Christmas for the Guthrie and I spent many months wondering what I'd use it on. I'm glad I waited -- the play was truly riveting, entertaining and thought-provoking.

Set in the late 1940s/early 50s (hard to tell exactly when), the play is a true, modern-day Greek tragedy. The "bridge" in the title is the Brooklyn Bridge, and the play examines the story of a unique family situation in Brooklyn: a woman and her husband have raised the woman's late sister's daughter(her niece) since childhood, and the daughter, now 18, is on the brink of branching out on her own. This in itself brings the inevitable struggles, but throw in an additional element: the woman's two male cousins have come to Brooklyn as illegal immigrants, seeking to work and earn money -- something they're unable to do in their home country of Sicily.

The full house leads to expected tensions and interesting situations, including the men's venture into American culture, but most notably the budding romance between the niece and one of the men. This romance is the straw that breaks the camel's back in the niece's descent into independence -- she's ready to move out and marry and discover life on her own. There's just one problem: her uncle can't let go -- almost to the point of going insane. And the underlying reason for not being able to let go are his inappropriate feelings for his niece that grow apparent to everyone, most noticeably his wife, except for him.

The play's themes -- including lust, betrayal, immigration and what it means to live in this country, women's independence -- could have well been pulled from present day politics, it seems. That's what makes it such an entertaining work: the themes transcend time and tell a story with a cyclical familiarity. We know it won't end well, but it's extremely compelling watching everything unfold. Add to this a very dynamic cast -- these are true professionals -- and you have a captivating evening.

I might have even cried at the end (I'm a bit of a softie) if it weren't for the man and woman with their adult children sitting behind us. Apparently nonstop yammering and thinking out loud runs in the family, because both generations were very vocal throughout the show, making comments like "Oh no!", "What did she say?" "Are you serious?" and "Look, he's still breathing," when a character dies in the end [It's a play; use your imagination!]. The talking kind of kept me from getting truly engrossed, but overall the power of the play was too strong to be completely ruined by some annoying talkers behind us. A wonderful night overall!

Eat, Drink, Be Merry

We're two days removed from the Iron Fork and my hunger is finally starting to return and my sodium levels feel like they're back to normal. Slightly kidding, but Thursday was basically the second annual Derek and Tracy Eat Their Faces Off Day -- a.k.a the City Pages' Iron Fork event at International Market Square. We had so much fun last year that we had to go again. This year's outing was also enjoyed with friends Steve and Katya, proving the more the merrier when you're eating and drinking with abandon. Where to begin...

As Derek previously explained, the centerpiece of the event was an "Iron Chef"-style competition between top local area chefs. This year's secret ingredient was chocolate. I heard the announcer mention some unique combinations, like chocolate and mushrooms, but that's about as much as I can recall -- we were waaay too busy sampling the dishes from the more than 20 different restaurants at the stations surrounding the competition.

As for my favorites, it's hard to say...I love this event because, like last year, you discover new restaurants and dishes that you would have otherwise not known about or considered. Here are a couple of highlights from the night:

The Tommy Bahama Rum Servers - These ladies wandered the floor with trays of (free, of course) mini shot-glass-sized martini glasses filled with various rum concoctions, including the crowd-favorite mojito. The only remote problem we had with this was keeping the eating up-to-speed with the mojito-drinking. This turned out to be the perfect apertif-- along with the sample glasses of Leinie's Honey Weiss -- as we waited in some of the longer lines for the more popular restaurants of the night, including the back-to-back-to back stretch of three restaurants, including...

Marla's Caribbean Cuisine - Was that Marla dishing me up the spicy red beans and rice? Not sure, but the somewhat exotic-tasting comfort food stuck to my bones with the extra kick reserved for the more adventurous. Coupled with Jamaican jerk chicken and cocktail samosas, I could have stuck to this restaurant alone for the night and been happy. We tried Marla's last year at this event and talked about going to the restaurant all year long, but never did. Maybe this will be the year, finally..

Holy Land - I've always enjoyed the Holy Land staples, including their pita bread that you can buy at about any grocery store in town. In recent years, though, I've become more of a fan of Grand Avenue's Shish, a similar restaurant that I find often tastes a bit fresher and cleaner. Both Shish and Holy Land were at last year's Iron Fork and we went back to Shish much more than Holy Land. Well, Shish was absent this year, but Holy Land made up for it by tasting better than ever. Pita chips, silky-smooth hummus, grape leaves and falafel were enough to bring me back for seconds -- ahem, thirds...

Dancing Ganesha - There's this awesome vegetarian Indian restaurant, Nala Pak, in a distant land called Columbia Heights. Nala Pak is so good that I'm willing to make the drive on 694 to an area I otherwise never go to. Well, Nala Pak's new sister restaurant is Dancing Ganesha, and from what I can tell, it's the sassier, hipper, meat-lovin' sister, as well. And delicious! DG served up some delicious pastry-style, samosa-like items called poories. Excuse my ignorance -- they're actually called Sev Batata Puris, which are poories topped with yogurt, mango and red onion with tamarind and green chutney. Yep, and I ate about three of them in the same time it took me to spell all that out. The other item DG offered was one of the best desserts I've had in a while -- chocolate samosas. These pieces of heaven had white and dark chocolate, as well as coconut and carrots, and were topped with caramel sauce. I ate one of these in the middle of eating all of the other dinner items and almost had to call it a night. But wait! There was more...

Pizza Luce - What can I say about this crowd favorite? Potato pizza. Genius.

In addition to these highlights, I also enjoyed the not being on crutches like I was at least year's event. It made the eating a lot easier -- more trips and free hands to carry more food! I recall also avoiding partaking in all beverages at last year's event out of fear of a) balancing liquid in a cup while crutching around and b) compromising my shoulder-crutch-one legged balancing act. It was a lot easier this year!

As my hunger starts to return, my thoughts are already turning to next year's event...In the meantime, we'll have to check out Dancing Ganesha and Marla's Caribbean Cuisine. And maybe I'll mix up a couple of mojitos here at home.

Iron Fork

The fall is upon us. I enjoy this time of year. Crisp mornings and mild afternoons, makes it perfect for enjoying hot coffee, warm comfort food while wearing shorts and a cozy sweatshirt.

I think back and the last time I felt this sort of crispness in the air. Was this past summer while I was hiking in Colorado. I remember the day; I woke up around 4:30 am to hike to the top of Mount Huron to watch the sunrise. There is nothing better then being above 14,000 feet on a cloudless morning, seeing your breath, while enjoying the view. The time seems to stand still. Until the crispness in the air nips you and reminds you are getting cold, then it is time to get moving.

Regardless of mountain climbing and air temperature, I am reminded about a year ago Tracy and I attended the Iron Fork, a charity for Second Harvest. It is awesome, it benefits a great cause, and you’re able to observe a cooking competition while sampling about 20 different restaurants signature dishes.

Since we had such a great time last year, we couldn’t pass up the opportunity to attend to again. Tonight’s the night…I am really looking forward to it….In fact, I am starting to drool just thinking about it stay tuned for a full report....

Keep moving...

To follow up about my last post….The dragon was slain, but not in the heroic efforts that I imaged. Instead, I think that the dragon conceded, crawled back into its cave as I shuffled away in the opposite direction.

The race didn't go as well as planned. I started out conservatively and warmed up to my target pace for the first 10 miles, I was feeling good and the legs were turning over easy. Unfortunately, a cold raining started falling about mile 9 and by 12, I couldn't keep myself from shivering. The rest of the race was a blur...My only goal was to finish. I was able to make it and was happy I finished...But felt unsatisfied by my performance.

As I think about the race, my thought process was a mosaic grouping of random thoughts. I was surprised how dream like things were….I could hear voices but not place where they were coming from…. road seemed so rough, I didn’t think that my legs could take the pounding….the feeling of shivering uncontrollably and how frustrated I got by how my fingers couldn’t tear the gel pack open….running up the hill to Saint Thomas went so quick, I forgot that I already ran up. The finish was so anti-climatic that I really had no emotion at all….neither happy or sad…

Since the race, I have been laying low and recouping. I have had time to think about the race and this past experience was epic for the wrong reasons. In my delirious state of mind Sunday, I kind of remember not enjoying what I was doing. I knew how afraid I was if I stop running, either a more hypotermic state or the disappointment if I didn’t finish.

I don’t know that the future of running holds for me. There is a feeling of frustration because I didn't get to test my fitness level. As well as other thoughts of running another marathon in a couple of months to the other extreme of hanging up the racing all together and just stick to the running. Time will tell.

Until that time comes….I will count the positive things…I am not injured, I have a wonderful support team, and I did finish the marathon.

Steady on….

Slay a Dragon?

Sunday is the day…I slay a dragon. One year ago, I started the Twin Cities Marathon but didn’t finish. I made it to mile 21 before a hip injury made me call it a day. Since that time about 360 days have passed and in those passing days, I have learned a lot.

I have learned that you need to practice being patient.

Last year, I tried to hold on the fitness from the failed marathon and that became a big problem that affected me on several different plateaus. The obvious is running, but not being able to participate in my favorite activity (running) and walking around in discomfort clouded my mind with frustration that trickled in to my personal and professional life. To basically put it, I was in the middle of hell last winter.

After a time off running, a MRI, rehab, strength training, cross-training, and cortisone shot, I am back to running consistently. I spent the past spring getting my fitness back, followed by building my confidence this past summer with key workouts and long runs. With these elements combined, I am hoping for good things come Sunday morning.

As I think about last years TCM. I wonder if….I would have been patient sooner then later, and took time off from running. Would things be different? Maybe?

Regardless of the outcome from last year, it is behind me and I have become a different runner, today. I have become a stronger runner both mentally and physically. I have strengthened my weak points (bad hip is gone) and I have become stronger by training harder then before. But more importantly to anything, I reintroduced the enjoyment to running. It took an injury and forced time off to remind me why I first started running: to loose weight and to get outside more.

Since that first run, ten years ago, I have lost 30 pounds and I developed a new life long activity. More importantly I discovered that running has influenced my life in many ways and gotten me through some difficult times. Today my reason for running is different…I enjoy the movement of my body, the way I think, look, and having tangible goals to meet that involve running. I continue to enjoy being outside and face any conditions that mother nature can dish out.

Come Sunday the 26.2 long dragon is going down! It has taken me one year to get back to where I am today. The most important goal for the TCM is to finish. The plan to get to the finish line is to be patient and let the race come to me. I am going to try the best I can and respect myself for doing so. I have enjoyed the journey so much to get to this point and I hope that the destination is even more rewarding!

Look for me mid-morning on Sunday at the finish line. I’ll be easy to find, I will be the with the dragon’s head on a stick!

Green Tomatoes

Here is the deal. I planted a garden in early June and it seemed to be coming along very nicely. The tomato and pepper plants grew, flowers budded, and then nothing. About a month went by and veggies started to sprout. But know there are nothing but about 50+ green tomatoes but nothing is ripe. I think that the nice warm days are numbered and fall is on the horizon.

I guess that is the way somethings go. Some things never seem to go according to plan. In the mean time I think I will try some fried green tomatoes.

What I did on my summer vacation.

Good times, beautiful places and the best company one could ask for...What a great summer it's been!

Sundown summer.

As the sun begins to set on the summer. Another beautiful season is about to begin. Fall. I enjoy change and everything that it brings. This autumn season...I look forward to a starting my school year teaching off to a wonderful start, crisp nights, freshly fallen leaves, apples, pumpkins, the TCM, the WEAC weekend break and anything else that comes my way.

Stay tuned....

Where has the summer gone?

It is hard to believe that it is the end of August. Wow! Tracy and I haven't been doing anything too exciting except for enjoying the summer and Olympics.
About 2 weeks ago, I decided that I would repaint my house to pass the day. Now I am not a painter and wouldn't even say that I enjoy it. But being a homeowner there are somethings that I have discovered, I have to do and not really enjoy....painting is one of them.
Now that the house is completely repainted, it feels good to be done. I am pleased by the outcome. Trying to look for a silver lining....the painting was not all that bad. I enjoyed being outside, time to think, and the transformation from one color to another was exciting to see.
Until the paint blisters or peels, I am officially done painting....

Take the long way home.

Well it has now been one month since July had begun. That also means that it has been one month since I took my world wind tour of the US. All told this month, I traveled about 4500 miles.
When I reset my odometer to zero, thirty one days ago. I was excited of what I would see and where I would go. I can tell you this, this month of traveling has had its ups and downs, both physically and figuratively.
The ups....I was able to drive across the heart land of the U.S., backpack & hike to some of the highest peaks in Colorado, run on some wonderful mountain trails, see amazing beauty, spend time with great people, enjoy my grandparents campground in northern Wisconsin, have a fantastic time at my family reunion, receive four graduate credits from WITC in Rice Lake, along with many other enjoyable experiences....
Unfortunately, with the ups of life there has to be the downs....Last weekend my aunt, Nola, past away suddenly. She had fought a two year battle with lung cancer. As I sit here typing this, I can still hear her laughing and see her smile. I remember all the stories and conversations, I had with her over the years.
As tragic as Nola's death was. It was very bittersweet to see and meet the people she touched. Also as strange as it sounds it was very enjoyable to spend time with my immediate and extended family. The time with all of them reaffirmed just how very fortunate I am to have a wonderful family. They always are supportive through good times and bad.

I know in my heart that Nola will be missed.

Safe journey's Nola....

The Hold Steady nearly killed me!

It has been awhile since I have had the opportunity to sit down in front of a computer. (I have been in northern Wisconsin for the last week). So I am a little late on a posting an entry about the Hold Steady show that took place on Tuesday night at First Avenue.

I am glad that I took the time to drive down here see the show! It was great! I thought that it was a better show then when they played at the State Theater this past fall. They played past and present songs and kept the First Avenue rocking for almost two hours.

As I was listening and watching them perform...there songs seem to remind me of my past and bring up experiences I have lived through. Everytime I hear them I feel like doing something carefree and strugging off life's responsibilty to do something fun.

That brings me to why I think what makes the Hold Steady, in my eyes, a great band. Is that Craig Finn is a modern day storyteller and a good one at that. He is able to "name drop" places, have returning characters in his songs, and make the songs relateable to people. In addition to the storytelling...he is entertaining to watch, he and the rest of the band truly enjoy what they are doing.

Thanks Hold Steady for making great music!!

Colorado.

As I think back about the last few weeks, I have pleasant memories of my trip to Colorado. All told I was gone for 17 days, drove a little over 2800 miles, and saw many different aspects of Colorado. Instead of having a play by play account of my trip, I am going to compile a list of things I was able to do as well as include a few pictures….

• Go on one Hell of a Road Trip funded by the US Government (thanks for the economy stimulus rebate check!)
• Spend time in Denver, Breckenridge, Fresco, Vail, and Gunnison areas
• Attend a Rockies game at Coors Stadium
• Watched a car accident occur (shouldn’t “text and drive”….ouch!!!)
• Climb four “14ers” (Bierstadt, Evans, La Plata, Huron)
• Backpack thru unbelievable serene wilderness
• Hike and camp in winter like conditions
• Run on beautiful trails in the Leadville, Gunnison, Crested Butte areas
• Hike to the bottom of the Black Gunnison Canyon
• Experience a powerful, middle of the night, thunderstorm in Nebraska
• Reconnect and establish better relationships with some great people (Kerry, Lauren, Michael, and Nicole, as well as many others.
• Spend time with Tracy and show her the great state of Colorado.

Almost Time for Colorado

It's almost time for me to join Derek in Colorado for a little vacation, and I couldn't be more excited and ready to get away for a few days. Ever since he left last Monday, I've been counting down the days and getting more and more anxious for this trip to arrive. Almost time!

Since Derek left for Colorado, I've done the following: clean, clean clean. I found the domestic sliver of my being and was able to accomplish some major cleaning this weekend. Not exciting or glamorous, but notable for me, at least. I also caught a Twins game with some good friends -- or, should I say, caught up with some friends I haven't seen in a while while a Twins game happened to be going on in front of us. Not too surprising that I did more talking than game-watching, but I did notice the home run Mauer hit, so that should count for something.

Derek called this afternoon from Leadville to say it was beautiful out and he was looking at some breathtaking sights (that one's for you, Kurt "Leadville 100" Decker, from Derek). I imagined him sitting on a mountain (albeit one with good reception) , breathing in the cool, dry air with his legs leisurely stretched out in front of him. I can hear the carefree lifestyle of summer vacation in his voice, and it feels good to think that I'll be there soon, too (and hopefully not too sick from the altitude -- yikes!).

Happy Trails...

It has been a while since I have posted an entry. The month of June had really flown by. Here is what I have been up to…..I finished the 2007-08 school year and then started teaching summer drivers ed. In addition to teaching, I spent a week in northern Wisconsin where I took two graduate credits thru WITC in Rich Lake. Besides the “responsible” activities there was some leisure time as well to attend the Stomp performance at the Ordway and going to Rock the Garden festival.

Even though the month of June comes to an end and so does teaching summer school. It is an exciting time…..because my summer vacation is going to officially begin. My plan is to celebrate it with style!

Later today (June 30th)…..I am taking off for a road trip to Colorado and will be there for 2 ½ weeks. I am really looking forward to the backpacking, hiking, running, and most importantly hanging out. I have a plan of spending time with some friends, disappearing out in the backcountry, climbing several 14k mountains, and showing Tracy the state after she arrives.

So until my next post….Enjoy the summer…..I know that I will.

Happy trails!!!

Weekends in Review - STOMPing and Rocking

It's been some time since I last posted...I have this issue with logging on to the computer after I get home from work and writing after already writing all day. I can't say how many times I've had a blog in my mind that I never actually get down in writing. So, to break the procrastination cycle, here I am, blogging. Of course, this means I'm actually procrastinating on something else I have due for work by tomorrow, but I digress...

The past two weekends have been pretty eventful, thanks to some cool things going on in the cities. First, Derek's parents gave us tickets to STOMP! at the Ordway Center in St. Paul, so that's where we spent last Sunday afternoon (Father's Day). This show has been around for, like, nearly 20 years, I think, so it's almost surprising I haven't actually seen it until now, since I saw all these sorts of things growing up. But in retrospect, who hasn't seen STOMP! in some way or another? I'd bet that it's probably one of the most marketable and repurposed shows out there. Commercials, movie appearances, movie soundtracks...I know I've seen a rough looking guy making music with a broom and a trash can lid numerous times. And while it wasn't THE show, I knew it was STOMP.

The show was everything I expected...no surprises. However, it was undeniably entertaining, and more athletic than I expected. STOMPing is hard! The centerpiece theme was music coming from all sorts of crazy and kooky places, etc. etc. I didn't expect so much comedy, either. The show had the token "goofy guy," complete with Krameresque hair. And I think he was really the only one who made any sounds -- albeit just sounds, no words. There was also the shorter and stumpier guy, not as athletic-looking as the others, who everyone sort of beat up on. And one female was pretty forgettable, while the other one was sassier and stood up to the guys.

All in all, it was pretty formulaic for any sort of collaborative stage act involving a group, but the medium through which they communicated was different and edgier. I'd say that's probably what has made STOMP so successful all these years...a slightly different format in terms of the actual content, but as far as structure goes, it's the same cast of characters every stage act has used since the beginning of stage acts, with everyone filling their prescribed cookie cutter roles. While the formula was familiar, the presentation was pretty appealing, interesting and entertaining. Thanks to Jim and Karen for the tickets!

After the show Sunday, Derek and I brought leftovers down to the St. Paul riverfront and ate dinner there. No one was around, but I think this is one of the best spots in the city. It'll probably get more attention (the attention it deserves) when the RNC comes to town in September.

Catching up, now it's the following weekend and I'm feeling a little disappointed while I write this. Yesterday was Rock the Garden at the Walker Art Center, a concert I had been so excited for since March when I bought the tickets. Presented by 89.3 The Current, the concert featured some of my current musical favorites -- Bon Iver, Cloud Cult and the New Pornographers. Andrew Bird rounded out the lineup -- a pleasant-sounding guy who has like one song I know. All in all, cool premise, cool lineup, cool locations -- all the makings for a great show.

The afternoon got off to a slightly rocky start when we had to wait about an hour to get into the show. Gates opened at 4, and by the time we parked and walked to the Walker, it was ten to 4. Perfect! No. Turns out there was another entrance that other friends easily got into -- hindsight's 20-20, but we should have tried that. Strike one.

Bonus: The guy standing behind us in line. I'm sure he noticed my shoulders shaking with laughter in response to his hilarious quips about the craziness and stupid things going on around us. I was surprised his date was laughing harder...maybe she was tired of it or used to it. Definitely helped break up the monotony of waiting. Thanks, guy in the plaid shorts!

Strike two: Missing most of Bon Iver after standing in said line.

Bonus #1: Having Derek with me throughout all of this -- we have similar temperments for these sorts of things and complaining freely with someone who agrees can sometime feel good! Also: seeing my dear friend Alex, as well as Dan, Martin and Josh. Alex has a knack for one-liners that crack me up about anything and everything going on around us, so this was the perfect spot.

Bonus #2: Cloud Cult! These guys never disappoint and always sound great live. I'm humming them in my head as I type this. Best act of the show for me, hands down.

Strike three: Several Summit Beer stands, a Chipotle stand, a Joe's Garage concession area, a couple of corn dog vendors, some vendor selling pot pies...and MASS CHAOS. Imagine putting all those things in your back alley and then releasing 7,500 people into the narrow space. Yeah, we didn't eat. I couldn't find a line, let alone a pathway to get through it after we somehow found ourselves trapped in the crowd. At one point I said to Derek we needed beers to start feeling and acting as happy as those around us, but there was that issue of trying to get one...

Toward the end of our time at the show I noticed Josh's girlfriend Leah hadn't been around for quite some time...and then a few minutes later noticed she was back and everyone had burritos. Turned out she waited 1.5 hours for them...

Bonus: New Pornographers. I don't think Neko Case was with them this time around, but they still sounded great. Fun act.

So, Rock the Garden was a bit of a logistical nightmare, but a nice idea in theory. I think I'd go for maybe "Rock the Wide Open Field" next year, or something like that, in a bigger and more open space!

FANS 24

I finally feel like I have caught up on sleep. Tracy and I volunteered for safety patrol during the FANS 24 hour running race. Our shift was on Sunday morning from 1:30 AM to 5:30 AM. What we had to do, is walk in the reverse direction of the runners and look for any runners who needed some assistance (no one did). The course is around Lake Nokomis in Minneapolis, one lap is about 2.8 miles. We were able to make 4 laps around the lake during our shift.

I was surprised how fast the time passed. We did our normal activities on Saturday during the daylight hours. Once the sun started to set on Saturday, we took a little nap from 9:00 PM to 12:30 AM. Then got up and drove to the race to start our shift.

We got back home at 6:00 AM on Sunday morning. We slept, ate, slept, ran some errands, ate, slept…..I think it was in that order then it was Monday morning.

It was, free, fun and something different then the usual activities, I participate in. I was able to see the sunrise, get some exercise, help out the running community, meet some new people, chat with Tracy about random thoughts, and make the weekend last a little longer then normal.

School's Done!

As I finish up grading the last of my students final exams and projects. A wave of relief is coming over me. My ninth year of teaching is just about over and summer is just about ready to begin. Being a teacher it is hard not to feel like many of my students, who are “bouncing off the walls” to be done for the year.

I think back on my life and this has been the 28th year that I have been in school, either as a student or a teacher. Twenty eight years? That is hard to believe. The routine of those years have a nine and three ratio: nine months of school and then three months of summer. This routine is almost planned, because I know that it is scheduled.

So what is the summer plan for me? Other then enjoy the time off, I plan on teaching Drivers Ed. summer school, vacation to Colorado, spending time with friends/family, attend music events, festivals…WOW!….There’s a lot I want to do…..Gotta go!…….See ya!….I have a summer to enjoy!!!

Grand Old Days...

The the weather is starting to feel more like summer. I know this because as I type this post, I can feel my forehead radiating heat from an afternoon in the sun. That is right! I have received the first sun burn, under a Minnesota sun, of 2008.

I got it walking on Grand Avenue, along with the thousands of others, for Grand Old Days in Saint Paul. It was beautiful day to spend it outside, walking with friends, people watching, and enjoying the kick off of summer.

$62.00???

I grumbled and said to Tracy, “62 bones…ouch,” as we pulled out of the gas station. 62 dollars is what it cost me to fill up my Ford Explorer’s gas tank before we took off out of town on Friday night. With the price of gas approaching the four dollar mark, it makes filling your tank an expensive venture. I will admit, I have complained and dreaded going to the pump. Now with no sign of relief, I have come to the conclusion there is nothing I can do about it. It is, in fact, a sign of the times.

Instead of complaining, I have changed my perception and have tried to make every time I drive, count. Case in point, even though it was over sixty dollars to drive to my family’s campground in Northern Wisconsin. It was worth every cent. There is not a price I could put on: a hug from my Grandma, seeing my Grandpa smile, a run through the woods with Tracy and my brother, eating around the campfire, enjoying time with my parents, jumping in the lake, and enjoying the simple life of the Northwood’s. I look forward to my return back to Leesome Lake and everything that comes along with going there.

Until that time I will continue to combine errands, carpool, ride a bike, and cut corners to save money to make my driving time count.

Checking in..

I am always surprised by how fast time goes by. It seems like last Tuesday was just yesterday.

Well not anything new to report other then the fact that by backyard is looking pretty good. All the native prairie flowers and other plant species are growing right on schedule. I also put in a small garden of tomatoes & peppers and hoping for a bumper crop!!

Tracy and I also installed some lattice for a little added privacy from the alley. It looks great.

Well...pretty quick and easy entry. Until next time.

M.I.A.

I remember Tracy saying, “you can kill two birds with one stone,” after I open a birthday gift for tickets to see M.I.A. at the Myth Nightclub in Maplewood. I agreed and smiled at the notion, (I had never seen a hip-hop, global beat type show nor had I ever been to the Myth).

The venue is like a bigger, more modern, cleaned up version of First Avenue in Minneapolis. I was very impressed with the contemporary designing of the interior. From my vantage point, I could see unobstructed the crowd, stage, and performers. In my opinion, I don’t think there is a bad place to stand in the house.

The music began round 7:30 and after 2 ½ hours of terrible warm up acts (imagine a middle aged, overweight guy, wearing tight clothing, mixing music on two turn tables and dancing round stage like an Egyptian…..yeah…he was even doing the hand movements….Terrible!!!) M.I.A. was finally up.

You could have heard her coming a mile away with all the bass, it shook the place and your body to the core (pretty cool, probably not for my ears…) She came out on stage with the 1980 vintage purple spandex tights and baggy sweatshirt on, capped it off with a white wig. She and the 3 others on stage were very energetic, dancing and running round on stage during the 70 minute act. About halfway through the show she invited the “girls” and “boyz” to come up on stage to dance separately, for two songs. I was very pleased with the performance that M.I.A gave and I am glad that I had the opportunity to see her perform live. I can still here her singing in my head.

I would definitely, see her again, this time I would bring ear plugs. (My ears still are ringing.)

Break...

More then a week has slipped by since I last posted. So I thought I would just type up something so I keep in the routine of doing so also so I don't forget my password...hahhahaha.

We have just been doing the usual routine of living. Enjoying each day and what it brings.

Here are a few things I know....A good friend of mine had his first child...Chase....(Congrats Jamie and Kari), my family made it to and back from NYC safely, the weather is becoming pleasent, the flowers in my yard are starting to pop up, and Tracy is still smiling....Until next time..

"33"

If you ever look on the side of a Rolling Rock beer bottle there is a number 33 painted on it. There are many different theories of why it is there and what it means. Above all of the questions, there is an underlining theme of mystery. I like that word…Mystery..? With the thought of mystery you are free to let your mind wonder, discover answers to your questions, and formulate your own version of a story.

After just having a birthday on Wednesday and turning “33” the word of mystery becomes even more mysterious. I am not sure what the next year holds but I look forward to finding out.

Of all days of the year I remember April 30th the most. I have always used my birthday as a starting point of a new year. It is a date on the calendar to remind me to remember the past and to think back at all the “mysteries” that have been solved over the years of time.

As I reflect on my 32nd year of life, the mystery that was solved has a theme of luck to it. I am lucky to have Tracy, great friends, and family to surround and support me. I can only hope that my luck will continue and this year will be even better. For everyone out there who helped celebrate my 33rd birthday THANK YOU!

Were Back....

Hello…It has been some time since the last post. Since then we have been up to a few activities.

On Saturday the 19th we went the Current sponsored “Fakebook” with Chuck D at the Fitzgerald Theater in Saint Paul. To start off the night we went to the newly opened Supatra Thai Cuisine on west 7th in Saint Paul. At first sight of the place I was pretty excited but unfortunately, that is were the story ends. The food was pretty sub-par, the atmosphere was not very inviting and the service was not very good. So what all that means is that I won’t be back. Sorry…Supatra.
Off to the show. I was pretty excited to see Chuck D interviewed by the Current’s own, Marie Lucia. I remember seeing Chuck D. perform with Public Enemy in 1992 as an opening act for U2’s Zooropa tour at Camp Randall in Madison. If I close my eyes I can still see Chuck and Flavor Flav (clock necklace and all) jumping around on stage singing…”Bring the Noise!”
What I took from the interview was how friendly and genuine he was. In addition, it was interesting to hear his opinion on different topics. He stated how the hip hop scene has changed since he first started in the mid 80’s. He mentioned that 20 years ago many of performers of the day would leave the persona they portrayed on stage and live normal lives after the show. Unfortunately that isn’t the case today.
In addition to hearing Chuck D. speak there were several musical performances from Brother Ali and Slug from Atmosphere. I enjoyed both of them. It was a good night.

Thursday the 23rd we started off the night by supporting the Dining Out for Life benefit for AIDS and choosing a restaurant from the participating list. We picked Tam Tam’s African Restaurant on Riversides Avenue in Minneapolis for dinner. I enjoy African cuisine. First you get to eat with your hands, the food is bright in color and flavorful, and it is served on injera bread. Yum. If any of characteristics of African cuisine sound intriguing, go there you will like it.

After dinner is was off to the Southern Theater to see the 25th Anniversary performance of Zenon Dance Company. This is the fourth time I have seen the company perform, of the four this was the most interesting. During the show there were five different performances. To me they seemed to be very contemporary approach to portraying emotions and the way individuals handle them thru dance. It was fun to see one of the founding members, Christine Maginnis (we know her!) perform. She is a very talented individual and a great dancer. It was a fun night.

Saturday the 26th. We went to the Cloud Cult CD release party at First Avenue in downtown Minneapolis. What a great show! This is the first time I have seen them perform indoors and I am glad I went. Cloud Cult put on a wonderful show to a packed house at First Avenue. They had awesome stage presence, sounded great, created beautiful art work (it is painted on stage during the show), and visuals. They played songs from the past and present and they sounded much like they sound on the albums. If you are not a fan become one. I am sure that they will pull at the emotional string in your heart.

"Passing Thru"

When I was younger my Dad and I would go duck hunting. In the process of hunting there was a lot of time to identify other winged animals. Over the course of time, I was able to identify many different types of waterfowl and remember their migration patterns. This learned and appreciated knowledge is still with me, today.
I can tell when the time of change is in the air. Yesterday afternoon, I was running in the area of Lake Phalen and where the ice on the lake had melted. There were many different species of waterfowl, swimming about. I was able to identify: Loons, Mergansers, Grebes, Great Blue Herons, Buffleheads, and even Pelicans. It was awesome! The only way it could had been any better, is if I had my camera with me.
It was great to be an observer to see and hear all the different sites and sounds of the waterfowl. In addition, I was so excited because of the uniqueness of it all. As I have learned many of these waterfowl were just “passing thru” to their final destination in northern Canada or the Artic Circle. So this is a rare opportunity to see all these species in one place at one time.
Also on a similar note...I am pretty sure that it is an indication that Spring has officially begun. Enjoy!

Another year older...(and wiser?)

Thanks so much to everyone for the birthday wishes. I'm happy to say I rang in my 28th year in great company and really enjoyed the day. The celebrating started a day early on Friday when I met my parents for dinner at Spoonriver. Delicious! We enjoyed an appetizer of mussells and clams, and I then had some sort of Japanese-style seafood soup with wheat noodles, followed by a piece of almond flour cake. I'd recommend this restaurant.

Saturday I woke to cool temps and snow flurries -- a sharp contrast to other years that have been sunshine-filled and warm. Undeterred, however, Derek and I headed over to meet some friends for a run from the University of St. Thomas parking lot. I'm so happy to be healed enough to run again after my injury-filled past year. I've had a lot of ups and downs with running for a while now, but one of my short-term goals was always to be healthy enough by April 12 so I could run on my birthday. I'm still very much building back up and I'm nowhere near where I used to be in terms of running fitness, but it was a wonderful treat to myself to be able to get back down to the river, one of my favorite places to run.

I returned to my car after the run and had time to spare while waiting for Derek and another friend of ours to finish (they went 12 miles, as opposed to my 7). I tried to kill time by walking along the river, but it was a little too cold to be as enjoyable as a spring morning should be. Luckily, Derek runs much faster then I do and was back in no time, so we were back at home, warm, in no time.

Derek and I made a big breakfast after the run and sat around in sweats till about 1 or 2 p.m...beautiful! He gave me some great gifts, too, including some new sandals that will get plenty of use once it warms up, a wallet that will replace the tattered one I currently use and a coffee mug and stainless-steel thermos to replace the dented, leaky one I currently use (Thanks, D)! It really was the perfect morning.

Once I got around to getting dressed, we headed out for some shopping (thanks to Derek for coming along). I hit up one of my favorite local stores, Karma on Grand. This boutique has some of the best clothes around, and I have to plan wisely when I pay the store a visit because, without fail, I'll leave with several items if I don't go in with any specific ideas. I'm proud to say I left with only a pair of jeans, and they weren't even that expensive.

The evening was really a culmination of the day...and the perfect way to end it. We started with a sushi dinner at Sakura in St. Paul -- amazingly good as always -- and followed it up with a concert at the Fitzgerald Theater, the Red House Records 25th Anniversary show. The show's two acts -- Lucy Kaplansky and Storyhill -- were great. Both are folk acts and the show was just so soothing -- that's really the only way I can describe it. I'm a bit of a softie sometimes and Lucy Kaplansky's voice and lyrics kind of made me teary at points. To me, that's a sign of great music -- If I enjoy it enough and am that touched by it, I'm definitely going to remember it. The two-man act of Storyhill was equally great, as always...I've seen them four or so times within the past year, and this was one of the best. Their harmonies were crystal-clear and so pure-sounding. All in all, it was a great show, and I really enjoyed the change of pace from the other shows we've seen recently. I love a great show at First Ave., where the floor shakes with the rhythm of the music, but I also enjoy concerts where I can actually sit and see! The Fitzgerald is quickly becoming one of my favorite venues.

After the concert at the Fitz, we closed the night with some drinks with great friends at Dixie's on Grand, where Big Trouble was playing. Big Trouble's made up of some friends from my high school days at St. Paul Central. They provided the perfect soundtrack to some lively conversations with some great company. Thanks Derek, Alex, Dan, Kristi, Ande!

I realized I had about an hour left of my birthday and still hadn't had cake for the day, so I ordered a piece of delicious lemon butter cream cake, which the server graciously topped with a candle, and I was able to enjoy the birthday thing a little bit longer. It was truly a FANTASTIC evening and I had a wonderful time. Thanks to those who were able to celebrate with me and thanks to those who left me wonderful voicemails and sent emails -- you made my day and I can't wait to connect with you all!

One more thing: I was mad at myself for forgetting my camera so I didn't get to document the night as I would have liked. Luckily, Kristi has an iPhone (coolest thing I've seen in a long time) and snapped a few shots, including this one -- which is my favorite and makes me laugh out loud. Contrary to our expressions, which show looks of horror in response to something Alex was talking about, we really did enjoy ourselves. It doesn't matter what the conversation was about at this point...Anyone care to add a caption?

Tapes n’ Tapes

After battling a spring time snow storm, Tracy and I made it to First Avenue on Thursday. Collectively, we spent hours (not kidding) in the car and were excited to be at our destination to watch Tapes n’ Tapes perform a show. They were kicking off a nation wide tour in support of their new album, Walk it off.

The opening bands, The Birthday Suites and White Denim were average at best. I enjoyed White Denim much more then the Suites. White Denim reminded me of a seventies band that had a few good songs and guitar rifts. That was more then I could say for the Birthday Suites. They were loud, obnoxious, and hard to listen to. I was glad that we didn’t see their full act.

Now for the main act….Tapes n’ Tapes. It was a good show. Many of the new songs were full of energy and urgency. The band still had the fast, faster, go faster approach to their music. The main change from the Loon, was that they seem to have more electronics and guitar rifts on their new songs. They appeared to be happy to be performing and excited about their new album. I am glad that I went.

On another note not related to music. Today is Tracy’s Birthday!!!! YEAH!

Winter 2008...a pictoral adios!

Winter is officially over, but the memories are still fresh (this dreary weather we're having helps preserve them), including those of the fun times we had at this year's Winter Carnival and during our visit to Chicago...

The Hotel Cafe Tour.

If you haven’t gone to the Fine Line Café in Minneapolis to see a show, I suggest that you go. Here is what you need to do. Fine a band you would like to see in an intimate setting, arrive early so you can get a spot close to the stage, and enjoy.

That is exactly what Tracy and I did on Monday night. Even with the snow fall it didn’t deter people who the packed house to see Dan Wilson, Ingrid Michaelson, Joshua Radin, Cary Brothers, and Meiko. They were in support of the Hotel Café tour.

The way the show played out was that all the musicians played 3 songs each and then would switch. Each of the musicians played 2 sets with some overlap of sharing the stage for a song or two. All the musicians were great, but in my opinion Dan Wilson stole the show. He sang songs from his new “Free Life” album, Semisonic and even a cover from John Denver (Annie’s Song). The other musicians were good, but many of the songs I had never heard them before. Regardless of not hearing many of the songs I enjoy all the music. Here is what I thought of the different artists:

I was impressed by Ingrid Michaelson range in her voice, sweet sounding lyrics and her witty humor. Joshua Radin had a relaxing, smooth, sensible sounding voice that would be perfect for any Sunday morning. The Cary Brothers for their jamming, rocking out style and stick to your guns attitude. Meiko had an interesting sounding voice, good guitar skills but seemed a little nervous in front of a large crowd.

Take it or leave it that is what I thought….

And let's not forget...

Last night's show was great...more about that later. I'm on my way out the door to go to work but had to mention that Derek's birthday is April 30. Somehow he neglected to mention that when running down the list of events taking place this month...

Up Coming events....

Looking forward to different activities makes life exciting, fresh and new. I am very excited to many of the activities in the next month that both Tracy and I will be attending.

Starting tonight we are doing to the Hotel Café Tour at The Fine Line Café tonight. It is featuring Dan Wilson, Ingrid Michaelson, Joshua Radin, Cary Brothers, and Meiko. I understand that the format will be that one musician will sing a few songs and then another will take the stage and do the same. It sounds like it will be a fantastic show, I am really looking forward to it.

In addition to tonight’s show we are also attending the CD release party for Tapes N’ Tapes at First Avenue on April 10th. Their sophomore album, Walk it off, is highly anticipated and I am excited to here it and see them again. Also at First Avenue on April 26th, Cloud Cult will be releasing their new album, "Feel Good Ghosts (Tea-Partying Through Tornadoes)". I am ready to see a great show full of visual stimulation.

On April 19th we are planning on attending the Current Fakebook® at the Fitzgerald Theater. Host Mary Lucia will be welcoming Public Enemy founder, writer and activist Chuck D to Joining them will be Slug from Atmosphere for conversation and a special cameo appearance by Brother Ali of the Rhymesayers Collective.

About a week later we plan on seeing the Zenon Dance Company perform at the Southern Theater. This will be a memorable show because a Zenon stand out, Christine Maginnis, will be doing her final performance as a member of the Zenon Dance Company. Both Tracy and I know her…cool!

Way off in the future on June 21st. We are going to Rock the Garden. This is going to be a great outdoor show. Singer-songwriter Andrew Bird and band top Canadian indie-rock supergroup The New Pornagraphers and the eco-conscious Twin Cities favorite Cloud Cult in the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden. Opening the event is Bon Iver, an emerging soulful lo-fi folk solo artist from northwest Wisconsin who was one of the major hits of the South by Southwest Festival this month.

The biggest event taking place this month is Tracy’s birthday on April 12th.

March Morning.

“A March morning is as dull as he who walks in to it.” Aldo Leopold said in his book, A Sand County Almanac. This quote has haunted me for years. The reason being is my Dad would say that to me during my childhood when I would complain about the weather, even when it wasn’t March. It wasn’t until I got older until I completely understood what Leopold meant and why my Dad would say it.

No matter what Mother Nature throws at you, it is up to you to decide how you are going to respond to it. You might not be able to control the weather, but you can control your attitude.

The point of all this is, I have heard some people that I am in contact with complaining about the way that the spring is shaping up. I know the recent snow falls, below average temperatures, slippery roads, and chilly conditions have put a damper on spring.

But this is the northern Midwest, what do you expect? It was this way last year and I bet the year before that. If you don’t care for the weather here, then move. If it controls your mood that much, then find another location in the country that fits your needs and move there to live. If that isn’t an option, then change your perception of how you look at the weather. Think about what Leopold said and tap in to you’re wealth of knowledge to remember that the weather will too pass and it will be summer before you know it.

Back to Reality...

Back to reality….It has been a couple of days since I got back from Florida and yes reality has hit. Maybe it is the snow, the routine of things, or being back at home. But no matter how I look at it, it’s back to the old grind.

To look back on the last week, I can say with confidence that it has been a great break. I enjoyed a great vacation “book ended” with two fun events. It started off by watching the St. Patty’s day parade in downtown Saint Paul. This is always a great local event; I have seen several times and hope to continue to do in the future. It ended by going out to eat at Mesa and seeing Mike Doughty put on a great show at the First Avenue Saturday night.

In between these events, Tracy and I took off for Daytona Beach for a vacation. A little fun in the sun was exactly what I needed.
After spending a 6 days in Daytona here is what I discovered….the town wasn’t anything special. It appeared to be that every other store or restaurant was closed and trying to be sold. The people in the area we stayed at, were of all ages and seemed to have different purposes for being there. The food served at the area restaurants was the typical seafood menu.

The beach, which is 23 miles long and 500 feet wide is an active one. There are always people walking, running, biking, and playing on it, in addition to all types of vehicles driving on the make shift road. That being said about the beach it is enjoyable to be standing vertical then laying horizontal. Reason being…the wind coming off the Atlantic was always constant and chilly. To lay on the beach you are almost guaranteed to get sand in you eyes from the sand storms…

There wasn’t any marquee event that took place during the week, just the slow leisure lifestyle that occurs when vacationing to a beach. The daily routine consisted of running/walking, breakfast, relax ocean side, shower, walk to dinner, eat, walk back to villa, and sleep. Pretty consistent…pretty basic…very relaxing…..but it was perfect vacation.

Off to Daytona Beach...

While I am getting things packed up for our trip to Daytona Beach. I took some time downloading some tunes to my ipod and thought I would type up a quick entry before I (we) left tomorrow morning. We leave tomorrow at 10:00AM. I am really ready for the get away. It is a nice glimpse of what the summer will be like for me (or others in the educational field)....idle time to relax and enjoy the day doing what you enjoy doing.

I am most excited for the beach and ocean....warm sunshine, sand, water, waves....I can't wait.

Later....until next week.

Great Waters

“What a great meal,” I said to Tracy moments after finishing dinner at Great Waters Brewery in downtown Saint Paul. We started off by having an appetizer of pita bread, bean/hummus spread with some other veggies that were raw or pickled. For the main course we both opted for winged animals … I had the duck (with a maple syrup taste, yum.) and Tracy had chicken. Both meals were accompanied by rice pilaf and steamed veggies. To finish it off, I introduced Tracy to bread pudding. WOW…I could have eaten it all myself.

The meal, atmosphere, and wait staff was excellent. I can’t wait to go back again.

If any one is interested in some great visual movies check out Ohmifest at the Science Museum in Saint Paul.

Album...

I don’t have any new activities to report on, except for finally feeling better. It took me a little over a week to finally feel better. So a word of advice….Look out for the flu bug! It’s bite is a lot worse then it’s bark. Anyways…I did want to say something about two new albums, I recently got: Bon Iver and Mike Doughty.

First album:
Bon Iver debut release "For Emma, Forever Ago," a nine-song album, came together at a remote cabin in the woods of Northwestern Wisconsin.: This is a wonderful album. If you want to listen to a soft tempo, beautiful harmonics, and music you can feel with your heart. This is the album. Jeremy Vernon puts a lot of emotion in to the songs which creates an excellent blend of words and great texture to the music….beautifully executed!
Second album:
Mike Doughty’s new release “Golden Delicious.” This is a follow up to his 2005 album, Haughty Melodic. This is another great album…so it is easy to say, I really enjoy it. I have always been a fan of Soul Coughing and of M. Doughty’s other solo work. On this album he continues to create catchy songs, plays with words, and creates great guitar riffs accompanied with a great bass beat. When listening to “Golden Delicious,” I feel like being carefree, reckless, and doing anything that involves fun.

Drama girl

Did anyone watch the Oscars last night? As a kid, I used to live for them. Yes, I was a bit of a strange child in that I loved awards shows and the Olympics. As a 10-year-old I would record them off of t.v. and watch them over and over again. I remember watching Whoopi Goldberg win an Oscar over and over again, and I remember thinking a tribute to the career of Sophia Loren was pretty cool, and watching that over and over again. Huh? Yeah, I was weird.

I say was, but I still am a little eccentric I think in terms of my fascination for these things. Only a little, though. I watched off and on while folding laundry, looking at the paper, doing the dishes, etc. last night. The love from my childhood isn't quite there anymore...maybe it's something about watching a bunch of people, punctuated by celebrities take themselves and their art so seriously. I saw a commentary today about how 3.5 hours is better spent watching movies than watching people talk about movies. True, very true.

I do think awards shows are nice, however, in that they remind us of art for art's sake, and that's a good thing in a time when art is often sacrificed for more profitable pursuits. Yes, movies are big moneymakers. But as someone said last night in his acceptance speech (was it the guy from "Once?"), keep making art.

I was happy to see Diablo Cody won for "Juno." Derek and I saw this a month or so ago, and it was really nice, in my opinion. I cringed as I typed "nice," because it seems like such a vanilla way to describe something, but it was nice in the truest sense. I'll spare you the storyline since I think it's been told by just about everyone in every sort of medium. It's basic theme of accepting one for who they are and loving them unconditionally is presented in a straightforward and intelligent way that didn't insult the audience's intelligence or butter them up with flashiness or try to be controversial for the sake of stirring things up (and it wasn't controversial, by the way -- in my opinion). Cody seems like someone who tells it like it is, and this echoed through in a very honest screenplay lacking in any sort of pretentiousness.

Is Juno a comedy? Well, it makes me laugh. Is it a drama? Well, some of the situations have an inherent dramatic aspect to them. But it's neither knee-slappingly funny the whole way or a tear-jerker from start to finish. It meshes elements of both and, to me, is a pretty realistic reflection of the flaws, feelings and situations humans have dealt with for a long, long time. A good screenplay communicates something about the human experience that makes you think, and Cody did this by making me think about the basic needs of people, and what it takes to truly be happy. Juno may have been the only Oscar contender last night that I have actually seen, but that's not the only reason why I was rooting for it. Juno's a great movie, hands down, because it's refreshingly honest and relatable while also being surprising and new.

Almost March -- can't wait for spring

Well, it's almost March -- a month I typically look forward to because it usually brings big changes in terms of weather and seasons, which for me are welcomed changes! Usually by the point I'm excited for the warmer weather because I've been running outside in the frigid temps for months. The year's been a bit different as I work my way back from injury and from various setbacks, so my outlook on winter hasn't been quite as harsh simply because I've been spending a lot more time inside than I usually do. Granted, it isn't for the reasons I'd like it to be, but it hasn't been so bad and I don't feel quite as maniacal about the weather when it gets cold l do when I'm running a lot. So I guess that's not so bad.

This year I'm really looking forward to March because we're going to Daytona Beach March 16 through March 21. I can't wait for warm temps, seafood dinners and naps on the beach. And a break from work! I'm hoping that my current pains are brief andthat I can be back on the path to running again very soon so I can truly enjoy Daytona. There's nothing like exploring an area on foot (I prefer running to walking). First item of business to make this happen: rid ourselves of our respective injuries!

Last spring we went to Clearwater Beach, which was just about a dream trip in every aspect. I was training for Boston at the time and was able to continue that on vacation, which actually wasn't a chore thanks to beautiful surroundings and great weather. Our typical days there consisted of waking up, running along the beach, coming back for coffee and breakfast at the hotel, putting on our suits and walking a couple blocks to the beach, and napping/relaxing in the sand for the afternoon. Then, around 4 p.m. or so, we'd head back to the hotel, get cleaned up and go to dinner. We went to this awesome seafood buffet two nights in a row and stuffed our faces on the freshest seafood. It didn't dawn on me why my legs got heavier throughout the trip and I felt more and more fatigued while running, despite all the napping and relaxing, until Derek reminded me of our protein-exclusive meals. Ahhh, yes. Hard to save room for those carbs when you're loving the seafood!

I'm hoping Daytona Beach surpasses the lofty standards and enjoyable experiences of last year's Clearwater trip. I can't wait for it.

Flu Bug...

Your luck is not very good when 3 teachers you teach with and many students you have in class, come down with influenza. It is just a matter of time before you catch it. So guess what...the flu bug has bit and has bit hard.

After spending most of Friday in bed and part of Saturday morning, I am starting to feel a little better. I am surprised by how stiff I feel. I am not sure if it caused because of lying on my back for 20 hours or if it is because of the flu. If I had to bet, am thinking it is a little of both. No matter what the reason is, it is amazing how unmotivated I have become.

Currently, I look outside at the beautiful sunshine, warmer conditions and think about how I should get outside and enjoy it. But, there is no motivation to do anything let alone go outside. Ok,ok, ok….Enough with the complaining, I am not posting this to cast out a line of sympathy. There are many others out there that are feeling the same way I am feeling, if not worse.

So the main reason of posting a blog entry, (besides making time pass faster). Is to explain what a perfect day would be, if I were feeling better. So here it goes…

Morning:
Go for a run along Summit Avenue. Come home for breakfast and have a huge bowl of oatmeal with raisins, bananas, and egg whites accompanied with large amounts of coffee. Enjoy the coffee while reading the paper and let the morning blend together with the early afternoon.

Afternoon:
Go for a walk with Tracy around Phalen Lake and maybe do a little X-country skiing while I am there. Possibly, if there was still time go to the gym for some strength training before dinner.

Night:
Head out for dinner. This would be what I was craving, but I am pretty sure it would be one of two places: Great Waters (American) or Café BoXani (Asian) both in Saint Paul. Then head up to Cheapo and purchase the new Bon Iver album and listen to it while heading to the MOA, because we still have a bunch of free passes to the rides there. Maybe if the mood struck us right, go to the new movie with Jack Black, ­Be Kind Rewind. (I think it looks rather funny). Then head home.

Well that is it, if I could have it my way, that is what I would do. But unfortunately, that wasn’t the cards I was dealt. So I will keep drinking fluids, resting, and passing the time until I feel better. Until then….take care.

Chicago...

Chicago…where it begin? I’ll start with this, what a Great weekend! I had an excellent time and I am pretty confident, I can say the same for Tracy.

In my opinion, if you are looking for a great get away you should definitely go to “the Windy City.” Here is what I recommend you do…Go to a major travel outfitter via the internet. Put in the dates you would like to go, search for both a flight and hotel and I bet you will find some great deals. Tracy and I were able to get a great flight and stay in a hotel one block from Michigan Avenue for…..well lets just say very economical.

Since we did so much it would take some extra work to write up a blog entry that would be short enough to keep the readers attention. As well as, me not take forever and a day to type an entry. So I am going to compile a list of what we did on a daily basis. Enjoy.

Friday…

• Arrive at O’Hare and take the “L” to hotel (Inn of Chicago) arrival 12:45 pm.
• Walk, explore, and run along lakeshore and thru Grant Park. (Checked out the Bean” in Millennium Park)
• Dinner we went out to Kamehachi: Old Town‎ a sushi restaurant wow it was great!

Saturday…

• Awake and run along the lakeshore north to Lincoln Park and back.
• Hustle to Train Depot and catch the Metra train to Harvard to visit relatives. (I really enjoyed it. I was able to see my grandparents, cousin, and say congratulations, face to face, to my aunt for her recovering health.)
• Get back to Chicago. (Wanted to go to the top of the Sears Tower but the wait was too long.)
• Wander…wander….got side tracked by seeing fireworks shot over the Chicago River and Michigan Avenue. Wow!
• After long wait for dinner at several places we left and settled for Armenian food at Sayat Nova East Armenian‎ (located across the street from our hotel.)
• Walk off dinner along Michigan Avenue.

Sunday...

• Wake and run in shorts (it was 43 degrees out!)….Then breakfast at the West Fork Café. (Wow this was great…healthy, clean tasting and filling.)
• Walk off breakfast with no jackets (It warmed up to the upper 40’s). We headed back to “The Bean” for pictures.
• Then wandered over to the Chicago Art Institute. (We were able to see priceless art…Picasso, George Seurat, Monet…)
• On the way back to the hotel we stopped in the Freedom Museum located next to the Chicago Tribune building. (It contained information about your rights of “Freedom of Speech” and some famous court cases that infringed people’s rights.)
• Dinner we headed to the Indian Garden. Great!!
• For a night cap and dessert we headed to the top of the 96th floor of the John Hancock Building.

Monday…

• Run north to Lincoln Park and back.
• Eat a quick breakfast at The Corner Bakery. (Very good)
• Pack up and head to the “L” for a ride back to O’Hare for our flight at 1:15pm.
• The afternoon was seamless we were back home in the house at 4:00. I Couldn’t had asked for it to be any more smooth.

In a nutshell that is it! It was a great weekend. I look forward to a return back to the “Windy City.”